A Sandwich A Day: The Classic at Baoguette

In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know.—The Mgmt.

[Photo: Robyn Lee]

The Classic Banh Mi at Baoguette ($5) is a different creature from standard banh mi you might find in Chinatown. The sandwiched is packed lightly enough so that you can taste every element, from the barbecued pork, terrine and pate to the pickled carrots. Even the heat doesn't overpower, as it leaves just a slight tingle in the back of your month. The pork itself, roasted in-house, is a startling bright pink—and when you take a bite, the pork is faintly sweet and spicy, reminiscent of Chinese barbecued pork, but with a subtler flavor. What makes this sandwich so great, though, is the beautiful baguette holding everything together. Pulled fresh out of the oven in the store, the bread is light and crunchy, providing a great textural context against the meats.